


Tea?

by warblegarble



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Deaf Character, Gen, Tea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-24
Updated: 2014-01-24
Packaged: 2018-01-09 20:13:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1150292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/warblegarble/pseuds/warblegarble
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It took John quite a long time to notice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tea?

**Author's Note:**

> I seriously just wrote this in the shower. Watched "His Final Vow" earlier today. Have been reading Sherlock fanfiction all day. Enjoy!

                It took John quite a long time to notice.

                To be fair, John noticed something was different about Sherlock Holmes. It was subtle, but it was there. Slight lisping when exhausted after a case. And that’s all John thought it was: a corrected lisp, coming out with tiredness. Honestly, he thought it was cute, but he never brought it up. Sherlock might be sensitive.

                So when John returns from Tesco post ‘The Blind Banker’ case and Sherlock doesn’t acknowledge him, he isn’t concerned. Probably buried in his mind palace. John puts away the groceries, mindful of the ears in the crisper drawer and the mold plates in the butter tray. He sets the kettle on and hollers at Sherlock if he’d like a cuppa. No response.

                Slightly concerned, John goes to the sitting room. Sherlock is sitting on the sofa, back to armrest and feet flat on the cushions: his usual thinking position. John tries asking again, but nothing. He edges closer, checks and finds Sherlock breathing, blinking, obviously thinking.  So John taps his shoulder.

                Sherlock actually jumps and whips his head around to stare at John. He relaxes at seeing him, so John asks again. Sherlock takes longer than normal to answer, and his speech sounds…off. John is worried.

                “Have you taken anything Sherlock?” He glances up at pupils, checking for any obvious sign of something wrong.

                Instead, Sherlock mutters something to himself, rolls his eyes, and begins rummaging through his dressing gown pockets. His hands go to his ears and something about him instantly changes.

                “Sorry, John. I forgot.”

                And suddenly it all makes sense. “You’re deaf?”

                Sherlock sighs, nods. “80 percent in both ears. Congenital. I have top of the line hearing aids, but sometimes the world is too noisy, and I take them out.”

                John nods, then asks again, making sure to face Sherlock. “Tea?”

                A smile. “Please.”


End file.
